


For Now

by splendid_splendont



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Bathing/Washing, Brief Sam, Gen, Hunting, M/M, Non-Sexual, Non-graphic injuries, Witches, blink and you miss him - Freeform, blood mention
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-16
Updated: 2017-02-16
Packaged: 2018-09-24 21:11:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,112
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9787160
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/splendid_splendont/pseuds/splendid_splendont
Summary: Dean is injured on a hunt. Castiel wants to help, if the hunter would only let him.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Tenoko1](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tenoko1/gifts).



> Tenoko1 ask for: Non-sexual care-giving bathing/shower- Destiel
> 
> Thank you for the prompt! I hope I did it justice, even just a little.

It’s near deathly quiet at the hour they manage to make it back to hotel. Sam helps Dean hobble to the door to one of their rooms, ignoring his older brother’s complaints.

 

“Honestly, Sammy. It’s a sprained ankle, not a broken foot.” Dean grumbles as he leans against the door jam. Castiel doesn’t say a word, simply unlocking the door with the swipe of his card and pulling Dean’s arm over his shoulders.

 

“I’ll be next door. Just shout if you need anything.” Sam’s voice has a happy tilt to it that makes Dean frown and toss another comment back over his shoulder, vying for the last word.

 

“Ain’t nothing we can’t handle going to happen at 3am in a crap hotel.” Dean drops onto the closest mattress, grimacing and blows out a huff of air. He listens to Cas lock the door, the chain rattling just slightly.

 

“You’re covered in filth.” It’s the first thing Castiel has said to him since they climbed into the Impala and drove away from the hell-hole of a hunt. Dean doesn’t open his eyes but acknowledges the truth with a grunt. Cas is quiet again after that.

 

The sound of running water makes him turn towards the bathroom and there’s light streaking out from under the door so he assumes Castiel is showering. Dean sits up slowly with no one around to notice. He rolls his shoulder, feeling the ache of too-tight muscles from being tossed into the fall like furniture. He assesses the rest of the damages with ease. A shoeprint bruise underneath his ribs when he pulls off his shirt and a few nicks from cutting it a bit close as he slashed at the coven member that nearly managed to brain him with his own pistol.

 

His ankle is the only things that really hurts. Dean unties his shoes and eases the boot off his foot with more care than he’d like to admit. He frowns at the red swollen appendage. Dean tries rolling it experimentally, like he had with his shoulder and hisses in pain. It was probably a good thing Sam had made him keep off of it after they got out of the barn.

 

“Dean.” Castiel’s voice is way too close to be from the bathroom and Dean curses as he looks up at the angel.

 

“I gotta get you a bell or something Jesus.” He tries, pretending he hadn’t jumped at the sudden noise. If Cas notices, he doesn’t call Dean on it.

 

“You need to clean off.” Cas holds out his hand expectantly and helps Dean up. They stumble awkwardly to the half-ass bathroom and Dean blinks at the clawfoot tub taking up the majority of it.

 

“This wasn’t here before.” Dean tells him, as if it wasn't clear that Castiel had done something with his angel mojo to conjure the tub up.

 

“Very observant, Dean.” Castiel sasses a bit harshly. Dean wonders if he just imagines it when Cas doesn’t say anything more.

 

“Alright. I’ve got it from here. Thanks for the help.” Castiel doesn’t let go though. Dean raises his eyebrows, tugging at his arm to try and support himself on the sink but Cas’s grip is a deadlock. “Seriously, man. I can handle a bathtub. Let me go.”

 

He does, sort of. Cas lets go of Dean’s arm but the next thing he knows he is chest deep in the steaming water.

 

“Cas! What the hell?” Dean snaps, glaring at the angel’s still raised hand and his pants which are now folded on the sink’s edge.

 

“I don’t know why you refuse to let me help you.” Castiel is looking at him with his mouth drawn in a thin line.

 

“I’m not a damn invalid, that’s why.” Dean looks away first, staring at his knees and ignoring the angel in the room.

 

“That’s why you’re in that damned tub.” Cas doesn’t move. He stands his ground by the sink and waits. No doubt Dean will argue and fight, even now.

 

“I’m in this tub because you tricked me and used your angel magic whatever to poof me in here.” It’s true. In the most basic sense of course, that is exactly what he’d done. Castiel’s patience isn’t as long as it used to be anymore though.

 

“You, are in that bathtub because you won’t let anyone help you.” His voice is raised now, and Dean thinks for a second that Sam will hear and come barging in to keep the peace. He doesn’t and Cas keeps on talking. “You act like you have to do this alone, everything..Sam can’t help you. You won’t even let me.”

 

Castiel is standing next to the bath now, arms crossed over his chest. Dean can see the flecks of blood and goo on his shirt from this level. He sinks down to his knees so suddenly Dean can’t help but look at his eyes. His voice is all gravel and bruised skin, but there’s a sadness in the angel’s blue eyes that makes Dean pause.

 

“Why won’t you let me help you? You could have _died_ tonight.”

 

“But I didn’t.”

 

“Not this time.”

 

The words hang heavy in the air and Castiel drops his head against the porcelain rim of the tub. Neither of them speak again for a while. Dean rakes a hand through his head, feelings his fingers catch in a bloody spot and sighs. Hot water is still keeping the bath warm and comfortable. It’s ridiculous and unnecessary but he doesn’t say that. What comes out of Dean’s mouth is an apology, a kind of one that is more implied than spoken.

 

“Help me wash my hair, will you? My arm is sore.” Cas looks up. He doesn’t smile but he nods in a serious way. Dean surrenders the tiny bottle of free shampoo that the place bragged as an amenity and shivers at the cool gel as it is rubbed into his scalp.

 

“You are ridiculous.” Dean is relaxed, enjoying the feeling of Cas’s hands on his head and Castiel’s voice is softer now. He tilts Dean’s face back, looking at him upside down and the hunter’s grin is catlike. Cas presses a kiss against his temple and Dean lets himself daydream for minute. Maybe this is what his Heaven would be like.

 

“Yeah, but you’re stuck with me.” Dean breaks the quiet moment. He hands the washcloth back behind him and brushes his fingers across the angel’s knuckles as he does.

 

“For eternity.” Castiel mumbles, washing the grim from Dean’s back. It might not be Heaven, not by a long shot, but this was as close as they could have for now.


End file.
